“Damn straight, so you better choose wisely.”
“Ah…the pressure’s on. I’ll call you Thursday with details.”
Somehow, just knowing she was going to be spending more time with Stone eased the pain of her memories.
As she threw on some jeans, Kory wondered if this would be considered a second or third date. The tattoo experience didn’t quite feel like a date, but they’d gone for ice cream after. She didn’t know that she considered it a third, but she felt so much better about Stone—like maybe they were actually compatible.
Like they had a chance.
Unlike her usual self, she wore a flimsy, see-through button-up top with short sleeves. It was black and filmy, and its only redeeming quality was that it had white skulls all over it. Underneath it, she wore a tiny black tank top that showed the curvature of her small breasts.
Stone picked her up at her apartment. Lacey winked at Kory as she headed out, and she couldn’t help but grin back at her roommate as she walked out the door. Stone stood, looking cool and composed, but Kory wondered how he really felt. He’d called her earlier that day and told her he still hadn’t settled on what they were going to do, so he’d surprise her that evening. “So?” she asked, prodding him.
“I thought you said you wanted me to surprise you.”
“Oh, that’s evil.”
He smirked. “Get used to it.” It was hot out but there was a slight breeze, and she loved the way it pushed his bangs in his eyes. She smiled back at him.
“Shall we?” He placed his hand on her back, urging her toward his truck.
Fortunately, Kory thought, Stone was as obsessed with metal music as she was, and he cranked it on the way to wherever they were going. It wasn’t just playing in his shop (although at lower levels); it was more than a bad ass image. He really liked the music. That was a plus in Kory’s eyes. So, rather than talk, they listened to some Hellyeah cranked to the max.
He pulled his truck into the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant where Kory had eaten once before. He looked over at her as he pulled the keys out of the ignition. “You better like Mexican food.” She almost laughed, wanting to ask, “Or else what?” but she knew that was the response he’d been expecting, and she didn’t want to do what he expected. She’d rather keep him guessing. She shrugged and opened the door to her side of the truck and slid out before he could make it over there. When he met up with her, he asked, “You do like Mexican food, don’t you?”
Ha. It had worked. “Doesn’t everybody?”
He laughed. “Guess so.” Once they were seated, the waiter brought them menus and chips and salsa, then asked what they wanted to drink. Stone said he wanted a Cuervo and then said he changed his mind. “Just bring me a water.”
“Two,” Kory added. Once the waiter left, she kept her eyes on the menu but asked, “Why no beer?”
“You can’t have one, so it doesn’t seem fair if I have a drink without you.”
She shrugged. “I don’t care.”
“I do, and I’m fine without one.” Kory wasn’t going to continue debating it with him, because she thought it was sweet that he was being so thoughtful. That, perhaps, was the worst part about the age difference between them, but if somehow they worked out, it would only be a few months before she was of the age where she could drink alcohol in restaurants too.
The waiter came by and took their orders and then Stone dipped a chip in the bowl of salsa. Kory said, “So why don’t you tell me more about your job.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. What inspires some of your art, maybe, or what you like about it?”
He cocked his head and said, “I don’t know. I don’t always have a choice in what I’m doing, you know? If I have some little chicky come in and tell me she wants Hello Kitty on her, I have to find some flash and just trace it on her. Maybe she doesn’t want Hello Kitty, but she wants a kitten. That’s not really my thing, so I’ll try to find some flash that meets her needs. As far as my actual art…have you seen it?”
“Yeah, in the book up front, right? You’ve got some sick shit in there.”
“Sick as in cool or sick as in twisted?”
Kory laughed. “Both.”
“Glad you said that. My real art…the stuff I draw that I later tattoo on someone—that’s what I’m proudest of. As far as inspiration? I draw what fascinates me. Like the concept of hell. I don’t believe in hell for real, but I find it fascinating that ancient people invented the concept of eternal punishment and then the church took it and ran with it, using it to wield power over innocent people who just wanted a little hope in their lives…very twisted. So hell, anything medieval—that shit’s cool. I like modern stuff too.”